Concrete slab cost in Santa Fe, NM
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (400 sq ft)
- $2,300 – $4,900
- Per sq ft
- $5.60 – $11
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #180
- 1 = most expensive
Santa Fe homeowners pay roughly $2,300 to $4,900 to pour a concrete slab at 400 sq ft, or $5.60 to $11 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Santa Fe is 6% lower. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $24.73 an hour in the Santa Fe area, 10% below the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 400 sq ft in Santa Fe, NM, standard level
$3,050 to $4,100
About $7.30 to $9.55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $2,250 |
| Labor | $1,300 | $1,600 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $290 |
| Total | $3,050 | $4,100 |
Cost breakdown for 400 sq ft in Santa Fe, NM
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,900 | $2,700 | 54% |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,450 | $1,800 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $220 | $400 | 6% |
| Total | $2,300 | $3,600 | $4,900 | 100% |
Why Santa Fe prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 4 trades: cement masons and concrete finishers at 50%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 10%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Santa Fe wages are 0.90 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Santa Fe metro is 96.1 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 400 sq ft comes to $1,900, compared with $2,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (98.8) and land at $50 to $400.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 4 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Santa Fe is 0.90 times the national level.
For cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051, weighted 50%) the local median is $24.73 an hour, which is 10% below the national $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $21.35 and $26.07 an hour. BLS counts 80 of them working in the area, 13.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 13.3), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $20.18 an hour, 11% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.99 and $22.67 an hour. About 530 work in the metro. That is 85.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 10%) the local median is $25.00 an hour, which is 13% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.20 and $28.24 an hour. BLS counts 140 of them working in the area, 22.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.57 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.73 and $29.66 an hour. BLS counts 210 of them working in the area, 34.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the cement masons and concrete finishers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.07 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $40. At the 25th percentile ($21.35) it shrinks by about $100. The total moves by 1.1% or 2.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 61,770 jobs in the Santa Fe area. That makes it the 282nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 50% | $21.35 | $24.73 | $26.07 | $27.41 | 0.90 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.99 | $20.18 | $22.67 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $23.20 | $25.00 | $28.24 | $28.78 | 0.87 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.73 | $28.57 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
How Santa Fe compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Santa Fe. Amarillo is the lowest at about $3,350 (midpoint, 400 sq ft), 230 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NMthis page | $2,300 – $4,900 | $3,600 | |
| Albuquerque, NM40 miles | $2,250 – $4,850 | $3,550 | −1% |
| Pueblo, CO200 miles | $2,350 – $5,000 | $3,700 | +3% |
| Las Cruces, NM225 miles | $2,200 – $4,700 | $3,450 | −4% |
| Amarillo, TX230 miles | $2,150 – $4,600 | $3,350 | −6% |
| Colorado Springs, CO240 miles | $2,400 – $5,150 | $3,800 | +5% |
| New Mexico (statewide) | $2,250 – $4,800 | $3,500 | −2% |
| United States | $2,450 – $5,200 | $3,850 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Santa Fe comes in at #180 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $5,300; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $3,200 (midpoints, 400 sq ft). Statewide, Santa Fe is 2% above the New Mexico figure.
Other New Mexico metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $2,250 – $4,850 | $3,550 | −1% |
| Las Cruces, NM | 80,000 jobs | $2,200 – $4,700 | $3,450 | −4% |
Cities with a workforce like Santa Fe's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Santa Fe against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $2,350 – $5,000 | $3,700 | +3% |
| Decatur, AL | 61,240 jobs | $2,150 – $4,650 | $3,400 | −5% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 62,230 jobs | $2,100 – $4,600 | $3,350 | −7% |
| Dothan, AL | 60,720 jobs | $2,100 – $4,500 | $3,300 | −8% |
Add-ons priced for Santa Fe
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Santa Fe by the average of the local wage index (0.90) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.93. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $370 – $1,100 |
| Remove old concrete first | $750 – $2,250 |
When to schedule concrete slab in Santa Fe
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Santa Fe 2 (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through September is the stretch where pouring concrete runs into the fewest weather problems in Santa Fe (5 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Santa Fe gets about 13 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 20 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (2.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 0.9 and 0.9 inches. The station averages about 24 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43 | 18 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 21 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 57 | 26 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 32 | 0.6 | Cold |
| May | 74 | 41 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 50 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 55 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 54 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 47 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 35 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Nov | 53 | 24 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Dec | 43 | 18 | 0.8 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Santa Fe?
Because every project leans on different trades, Santa Fe's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, detached garage runs −6% and gravel driveway −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,400 – $8,450 | −8% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,750 | −7% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $27,300 – $54,900 | −6% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,050 – $7,400 | −7% |
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,850 – $6,950 | −6% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,400 | −8% |
Concrete slab: what moves the price in Santa Fe
Truck and pump access
If the mixer truck can't back up to the forms, someone has to wheelbarrow it in or hire a pump. Pump or line-pump hire is typically billed per day.
Small-job minimums
Many crews have a minimum charge, so a 10x10 pad can cost more per square foot than a 20x20 slab.
Finish
A broom finish is the baseline. Stamped, stained, or exposed-aggregate finishes are priced as add-ons on top of the slab.
Santa Fe: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Santa Fe wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 5 common sizes.
Basic
$2,300 to $3,350
4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access
Standard
$3,050 to $4,100
4-5 inch slab with rebar or heavier mesh and standard base prep
Premium
$3,850 to $4,900
6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) | $610 – $970 | $880 – $1,250 | $1,150 – $1,500 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $850 – $1,300 | $1,200 – $1,650 | $1,550 – $2,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,300 – $3,350 | $3,050 – $4,100 | $3,850 – $4,900 |
| 24x24 garage floor (576 sq ft) | $3,250 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,800 | $5,450 – $6,850 |
| 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft) | $6,750 – $9,600 | $8,900 – $11,800 | $11,000 – $13,900 |
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Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $3,050 to $4,100 for Santa Fe, NM is attached.
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Multi-page report for Santa Fe, NM: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Concrete slab in Santa Fe: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete slab in Santa Fe?
For 400 sq ft, expect $2,300 to $4,900 in the Santa Fe area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,050 to $4,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete slab in Santa Fe?
About $5.60 to $11 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $400 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $12.
+Is concrete slab cheaper in Santa Fe or Albuquerque?
Albuquerque is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 400 sq ft there is $3,550, which is 1% less than Santa Fe ($3,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Santa Fe?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $1,450 out of $3,600. Materials are 54% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Santa Fe?
$2,300 to $4,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete slab need a permit in Santa Fe?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $400 for fees in the Santa Fe area (our national range of $50 to $400 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Santa Fe expensive for concrete slab compared with the rest of New Mexico?
Santa Fe is 2% above the New Mexico statewide estimate ($3,500 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in New Mexico; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Santa Fe?
The BLS median is $24.73 an hour in the Santa Fe area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.35 to $26.07.
+What do basic and premium concrete slab work cost in Santa Fe?
For 400 sq ft, basic work runs $2,300 to $3,350 and premium work $3,850 to $4,900. Basic means: 4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access. Premium means: 6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access.
+When is the best time to pour a concrete slab in Santa Fe?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. May and June are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add rebar reinforcement" add in Santa Fe?
$370 to $1,100 for 400 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete slab near Santa Fe
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Estimators.us: Concrete Slab Cost in 2026 | $6-$12/Sq Ft Guide (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Patio Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020